Improvement in machines for buffing boots and shoes



G. C. HAWKINSl Machines for Bufng Boots and Shoes. No. 145,501. A Patented Demnszs.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GARDNER C. HAWKINS, OF BOSTON, MASS., ASSIGNOR TO THE SHOE MA- CHINERY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF NEV HAVEN, CONN.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR BUFFING BOOTS AND SHOES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 145,501, dated December 16, 1873 application filed July 22, 1873.

tion of the class of machines for ,buffing or sandpapering boots` and shoes in which a horizont-al roller or drum is supported upon a suitable frame and surrounded by a hood,

which prevents scattering of dust and refuse about the apartment, a suction air-en gine being combined with the machine, and communieating' with the interior of the hood'to exhaust therefrom the dust and refuse matter before named. The novel elements in my present machine are, rst, the construction of the machine in such manner as to create a shallow draft-fine, whose induction end extendsclosely up to the buffing-cylinder, in order to instantly attract and carry oft' the dust arising from the operation of bufiing the sole of a boot, this construction being distinguished from former machines, inasmuch th at in the latter the draftilue makes its exit from the bottom of a comparatively large chamber, and the dra-ft or suction about the buffing-cylinder is comparatively weak. In my present machine I employ an attenuated flue in addition to and independent of the buiiing-chamber or hood. A second point of novelty in these improvements will be seen in the combination, with bufiing machinery, of a series of stampingdies, by which a boot or shoe, after being buied, may be at once stamped with its proper number, a matter of great rconvenience being secured by this arrangement; and, thirdly, these improvements consist in the combination, with the bufling-chamber and draft-flue, of a slot or orifice, which establishes communication between the two, this opening being provided with a cover or gate to close the communication between the said chamber and iiue and preserve the draft of the latter, or to open such communication and allow solid or heavy matters which may fall to the bottom of the chamber to be drawn into the tlue and discharged from the machine.

The drawings accompanying this specificacovered with sand-paper or other abrasive material, a hood or cover, D, being hinged to the front edge of the top of the case A and over the bufng-cylinder, for convenience of access to and removal of the latter. E represents a shallow flue created in the case A,`and at the rear of the bufng-chamber A thereof, the induction-mouth of this flue extending closely up to the buffing-cydinder, while its discharging end passes through the bottom of the said chamber, and is there to be attached to or connected with a suction or exhaust air-engine, in order to obtain apowerful draft through the iiue to remove any dust which may follow in the operation of bui-ling the sole, and several of these machines may be connected with one of such engines. Fin the accompanying drawings represents an oriee or opening created in the inner wall or partition a of the plug E, while G represents a gate or cover applied in a suitable manner to this opening, to open or close the same, as the case may be, and to allow at certain times of the escape of refuse,

matter of a weight too great to be carried off through the mouth of the flue. H in the drawings represents a horizontal beam supported upon and carried by a carriage, I, which is disposed at the front part of the machine, the beam being elevated somewhat above the level of the iioor of the bufling-chamber, While the carriage is so applied as to be susceptible of sliding vertically with respect to such floor, a treadle, J, being confined with the` carriage and machine-frame, by which the carriage and beam may be depressed, such carriage and beam being elevated by suitable springs. The beam H, which maybe cylindrical or polygonal, is to be so applied to its carriage as to be readily rotated upon its axis to bring any one of its rows of stamps or bosses in position, and I apply to its periphery, or to one or more of its ranges of studs or bosses, b b, Sac., the outer end of these studs being provided with a number, by which the sole may be stamped. Each row or range of stamps b should consist, practically, of seven, which is the range of numbers of one class of work, (mens, for instance,) while in order to adapt the machine to all classes of work, (mens, womens, misses, &c.,) I apply to the beam several ranges or rows of stamps, and the beam is to be susceptible of rotation in order to bring one or the other of these sets of stamps into play. To effect this I form on one of the ends of the beam a square or angular tenon, c, adapted to it a correspondingly-shaped mortise into adjoining part of frame I, and interpose between the other end of the beam and that part of frame I in which its journal has its bearing, a spring d. The shaft can be moved longitudinally to slide the tenon out of the mortise, and can then be rotated to bring any desired range of stamps in position, and it can then be moved in the other direction to cause the tenon to enter the mortise, spring d serving to keep these two parts engaged.

The convenience of the stamps or dies, constituting, as they do, part and parcel of the machine, will be at once understood.

The value of the top draft,77 as I term it, of this machine is very great, as it protects the boot from `the dust and refuse matter which heretofore have fallen directly upon it from the birding-cylinder, and. which necessi- Jrates brushing of every boot or shoe after it leaves the machine.

Springs f are interposed between frame I and main frame B, to offer a yielding resist.

ance to the descent of frame I, so that when pressure is removed from the treadle J the springs will serve to return the frame to its normal position.

I claim- 1. In a hurting-machine for boots and shoes, the combination, with the bufiing cylinder or wheel and buing-chamber, of a top-draft lue independent oi' said chamber, and having its induction-mouth arranged and located, with respect to the bufiing cylinder' or wheel, substantially as herein shown. and set forth.

2. In combination with the buffing-chamber and independent top-draft iiue, the opening' leading from the lower part ofthe buffingchamber into said iiue, and the gate or cover for closing the same, substantially as and for the purposes shown and set forth.

3. 'Ihe stamping-beam and vertically-recip rocatin g frame for carrying the same, and lever or treadle for operatin said frame, c onibined together and arranged on the front of the bnin g-in. ;1chine as shown and described.

hal-TONER C. HAYKINS.

Witncsses:

l?. CURTIS, XV. E. BoARDnAN. 

